IOM: 1,492 Afghan Migrants Died on Dangerous Routes in 2025

DID Press: International Organization for Migration reported that at least 1,492 Afghan citizens either died or went missing on migration routes in 2025.

According to the report, Afghan migrants accounted for the highest number of fatalities on migration routes in the Asia-Pacific region last year.

They were followed by citizens of Myanmar, with 935 cases, many of whom were Rohingya refugees.

The international organization noted that most deadly incidents occurred on land routes between Afghanistan and Iran and on sea routes through the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea—routes considered among the world’s most dangerous due to harsh conditions, lack of monitoring, and human trafficking networks.

The report emphasized that limited access to legal migration pathways and closed borders have pushed many refugees toward high-risk routes.

Meanwhile, migration activist Abdulrazak Adil stated that the rising death toll among migrants “reflects a global failure,” adding that international neglect of Afghanistan’s crises and restricted legal migration options have forced citizens to take deadly paths.